Electric switch.



BLEGTRTO SWITCH,

APPLIGATiON 1 mm MAR. 28, 1910.

O H AM P.

Patented Sum 20, 1911.

2 SBEETS-SHEET 1.

D Zizvezaar. 5W?

; JPH. CHAMP. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1910.

9513767 1 1 Patented 1111119 20, 1911.

' Q. 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wiflwsses. 276057?!- I QM-S; 'j f 3; t, ii A JOSEPH H. CHAMP, FCLEVELANLD, OHIO.

ELiic'rnIc sit/"iron.

Specification of Letters Intent.

Patented June 2th Application filed March 28, 1910. Serial 130. 551,947.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Josnrrr H. CHAMP, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, county ofCuyahoga, Stateof Ohio, haveinvented new and useful improvements in ElectricSwitches, of which thefollowing is a specification, the princically controlling an electricmotor and thus? the mechanism operated thereby: The character of thecontrol will, of course, dependupon the use to which the motor is put.Thus one instance would be with a carbonator or similar apparatuswherein it is desiredto maintain a predetermined level of liquid; 'whileanother would be with a compressor'or vacuum pump, where it is desiredto maintain a substantially constant degree of pressure.

The object of the invention is the provision of a switch of the typereferred to that, while simple and inexpensive in construction, willreadily lend itself to use in these various connections, and that willrequire practically no attention or repairs.

To the accomplishment of these and related ends, said invention, then,consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointedout in the claims.

Theannexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:-Figure 1 is partly a broken elevation andpartly a sectional view of the lower part of the carbon ator; Fig. 2 isa vertical section through the switch proper; Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of the switchproper and of a modified form of actuatingmechanism,

The carbonator, in connection with which I have illustrated my inventionin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, comprises a receptacle 1, on which is superposed apump driven byan electric motor. The lead wires 41 of the motor areconnected to the terminals-of theswitch, hereafter described, andthrough which control of the operation of the motor is had. Nea r thebase of the carbonator a horizontal .oscillatory shaft 5'is journaled inthe receptacle Wall, and keyed to its outer end is a yoke (3 which formsthe supporting member for the switch proper. arms of the yoke 6is-threaded an insulator 7 which will preferably be formed of hardrubber. Such insulators in turn respectively support blocks ofconducting material. 8. The blocks 8 are formed on their inner faceswith recesses 9 into each of which is inserted one end of a tube 10formed of glass or other non-conducting material. The tube 10 is partlyfilled' with a fluid conductor 11, preferably mercury. The mercury maybeinserted' in the tube conveniently through an aperture 12 in one of theblocks 8, and the aperture then closed by a plug of conducting material13. I

Itis found in practice that the passage of the current through themercury in the," tube, with resulting change in temperature may cause anexpansion of the air 'or othergaseous contents of such tube;accordingly, in order to allow the free flow of this gas in and out, avent opening 14: is formed through one of the blocks. The blocks arefurther formed with holes into which the lead wires to the motor may beinserted, such lead .wires being secured in place by binding screws 15.The binding screw in the block .that is formed with the vent opening 14,is provided with a fiber washer 16, and such screw and the hole intowhich it threads are so proportioned that if a lead wire is not insertedand the screw is turned down tight, the .fiber washer 16 securely closesthe vent opening 1 1'. If, however, a lead wire is inserted the screwcannot be depressed so far as before, and the upper end-of the ventopening 14 is therefore left open. It may be found in actual use that acoat ing will be formed upon the surfaces of the conductor. blocks, sothat an appreciable In each of the two resistance will be metby thecurrent, a].-

though this possibility is extremely small. I have provided asv asafeguard, steel pins 17 driven through the conductor blocks and 1 usualball float, is pivoted to swing within adjustable .limits and isconnected bya link with crank 18.

in operation. the desired amount of carbonic acid gas is led intothelreceptacle and a manually operable switch is so thrown as tocomplete the motor control circuit when upon the pump is operated tospray water in upon the gas. At this time the float lever is indepressed position and the tube of the switch is in horizontal position.(lbviously then, the mercury within the tube is in contact with both ofthe conductor terminals and the electric circuit is complete. lVhen,however, the carbonated water formed within the receptacle rises to apredetermined level, it, carries with it the float lever whit h. bymeans of the connecting link and crank oscillates the horizontal shaftand thereby moves the mercury tube into an angularposition. When this isdone the mercury flows t'rom the upper end of the tube and out ofcontact with. the conductor terminal at that end. Consequently theelectric circuit is broken and the motor will cease to operate the pump,and hence the spray of water 1nto the receptacle will be stopped. Whensutficient of the carbonated water has been withdrawn from thereceptacle so that the level of the water falls below the predeterminedlimit the shaft is-oscillated again to return the tube to .itshorizontal position and hence to againcompletethe electric controlcircuit and start the pump.

In Fig.3 I have illustrated the same switch proper which has beendescribed above, but have shown it in connectionwith a modifiedactuating device; In this form actuation of the switch is responsive tothe pressure in a supply line" instead of to the evel of the liquidwithin the receptacle. In

' this form of the device the yoke 6 is pivoted to a bracket 21 on anaxis 22 eccentric to the two ends of the yoke. Immediately below theyoke 6 a diaphragm chamber 23 is provided, within which is a diaphragm24, and a passage 25 leads into the chamber below the diaphragmand isconnected with a pressure line whose pressure it is desired to control.A plunger 26 is connected with the diaphragm 24 anda spring 27 normallyholds the plunger 26 in its lower position. Obviously then, if thepressure in the supply line rises above a predetermined force, it movesthe diaphragm upwardly and hence the plunger is moved and oscillates theyoke on its eccentric axis. The ultimate result obviously is to breakthe electric circuit controlling the motor as in the form firstdescribed. 4

The many advantages to be derived from a use of my invention may bebriefly summed up. The switch proper comprises very few parts and yetits control of the circuit in.which it'is connected is absolutelypositive. it is contemplated that the switch will be assembled,including the lilling of the tube with mercury, before it leaves themanufacturers establishment. It is neces sary then under theseconditions that the vent opening through one of the terminal blocks beclosed, in order to reveut the escape therethrough ot the mercury withinthe tube. This'is done by the washer carried by one ot-the bindingscrews, and as the latter is screwed coumlclely into the block, thewasher attcctively closes the vent opening. lVhen. however. the userinserts the lead wires in the terminals. the wire prevents the bindingscrew coming down far enough to allow the washer to close the opening.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any one of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis tinctly claim my invention 1.In a. device of the character described, the combination of anoscillatory tube of non-conducting material open at its ends, blocks ofconducting material closing the ends of said tube, said blocks beingprovided with recesses in which the ends of said tube are'inserted, andone of said blocks being provided with a hole extending from its recessoutwardly through the block, a plug removably secured in said hole, anda fluid conductor within said tube.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of'anoscillatory tube of non-conducting material. open at its ends,

blocks of conducting material closing the ends of said tube, said blocksbeing provided with recesses in which the ends of said tube areinserted, and one of said blocks being provided with a hole extendingfrom its recess outwardly through the block, a plug removably secured insaid hole, said blocks being further provided with holes designed toreceive lead wires, binding screws adapted to secure said wires in saidholes, and a fluid conductor within said tube.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of anoscillatory tube of non-conducting material open at its ends,

blocks of conducting material closing thev ends of said tube, saidblocks being pro vided with recesses in which the ends of said tube areinserted and with holes de-'.

signed to receive lead wires, and one of said blocks having an apertureext'endin from its recess outwardly through the block,

and one of said blocks having a vent open- ,ing therethrough. bindingscrews adapted to secure said wires 1n sald holes, a washer on one ofsaid screws adapted to close sa d vent opening when a' wire is notinserted in the block and to leave it open when a wire is secured in theblock, a plug removably secured in said aperture, and a fluid conductorwithin said tube.

4. In a device of the character described;

the combination of an oscillatory tube of non-conducting material openat its ends, blocks of conducting material closing the ends of saidtube, said blocks being provided with recesses in which the ends of saidtube are inserted and with holes designed to receive lead wires, and oneof said blocks having an aperture extending from its recess outwardlythrough the block, and one of said blocks having a vent openingtherethrough, binding screws adapted to secure said wires in said holes,a washer onone of said screws adapted to close said vent opening when awire is notinserted in theblock and to leave it open when a wire 1ssecured in the block, a plug removably secured in said aperture, a fluidconductor within said tube, and pins of conducting material egrtendingthrough said blocks andunto said tube.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of anoscillatorily mounted yoke, blocks of conducting material secured to,but insulated from, the. respective arms of vthe 'yoke,.said blocksbeing .provided with recesses andwith holes designed to receive leadwires, and one of said blocks having an aperture extending from itsrecess outwardly through the block, and one of said blocks having a ventopening therethrough, binding screwsvadapted to secure said wires insaid holes, a washer on one of saidscrews adapted to close said ventopening when a wire is not inserted in the block and to leave it openwhen a wire is secured in the block, a plug reniovably held in saidaperture, a tube of non-conducting material open at its ends and havingsaid ends in:

.sert'ed in said recesses, and a fluid'conductor within saidtube.

Signed by me this 25th day of March,

JOSEPH CHAMP. Attested by:

F. L. Hnvns, E. H. VAenLPoHL.

